The Brisbane sign at Southbank, part of the cultural celebrations before the G20 summit opens on 15 November.
Photograph: Glenn Hunt/Getty Images

Australia has focused firmly on financial regulation and increasing growth for the G20 summit in Brisbane that opens on Saturday. Although discussions are likely to be dominated by Ebola, Isis and Ukraine, development and anti-corruption feature high on its agenda. The G20 is not a decision-making body on many global issues, yet it can still send a strong message that helps unlock international processes. What can the development community hope to see reflected in the communique, the official post-summit report?

Much current growth is not sustainable because it contributes to climate change and can have negative impacts on the environment, in terms of pollution and increased pressure on scarce resources, as demonstrated by Cafod’s partner in Peru.

With high levels of poverty and inequality in many G20 countries, as well as environmental impacts that affect people’s livelihoods, in Brisbane the focus needs to be on growth that is inclusive and sustainable.

More than just commitments on climate change

So far the Australian presidency has resisted pressure from the US and Europe to include climate change in the G20 agenda on the grounds that it doesn’t fit the economic focus of the summit – although it has been part of the discussions on energy and infrastructure. Climate change is unlikely to have much space in the communique, but as a minimum we would expect leaders to recommit themselves to reaching a global deal to limit global warming at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Paris next year, as well as to contribute the finance.

Each year, the G20 boldly recommits to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, yet each year no concrete action appears to have been taken. With the global political context having changed, however, since Ban Ki-moon’s climate summit in September, leaders must develop a plan through the energy sustainability working group – a step backwards would send all the wrong signals to other international processes.

Action to tackle tax and transparency evasions

Issues of beneficial ownership, automatic exchange of tax information and transparency in extractive industry payments have all been part of the G20 anti-corruption working group. They have also gained a higher profile through other forums such as the G8 in Lough Erne in 2013 and the Open Government Partnership, showing how international processes can be complementary.

If G20 commitments are to benefit developing countries, we expect to see an agreement on creating national registers of beneficial owners of companies, as well as a reaffirmation and action on past commitments to reach a global standard on extractive industry payment transparency.

And beyond this G20? As Turkey takes over the presidency for such a crucial year ahead, we hope to see a commitment to positive engagement from all G20 countries to reach ambitious and transformative agreements on trade, development, climate and finance next year. Having already said its priority is to make the G20 agenda work for developing countries, 2015 is a great opportunity for Turkey to deliver.